The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met this Sunday with the Brazilian head of state, Lula da Silva, and reinforced interest in the trade agreement with Mercosur and support for the alliance against hunger.
In a note published on social media, Ursula von der Leyen, after meeting with Lula da Silva, in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, stressed that the EU-Mercosur agreement is of “great economic and strategic importance”.
These statements contrast with those of the French Presidentwho – also this Sunday – told his Argentine counterpart that France is opposed to the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and that he expects negotiations between the countries involved.
“We do not believe in the agreement as it was negotiated”, and concluded in 2019, Emmanuel Macron told the French media in Buenos Aires, at the end of a visit to Argentina, during which he met with the president of that country, Javier Milei.
Ursula von der Leyen is in Rio de Janeiro to participate between Monday and Tuesday in the G20 summit, in which the leaders of the main world economies will discuss reforms of international institutions, energy transition and joining an alliance against hunger.
The president of the European Commission also highlighted that “Europe fully supports the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty”, which will be officially launched on Monday by Lula da Silva at the start of the summit’s work.
The initiative envisages the creation of a global platform where countries can include their programs to eradicate hunger and poverty, establishing their own plans and goals, and Alliance members will help achieve these goals with financial contributions.
The platform will also serve to share experiences, technologies and knowledge about successful plans.
On November 8, the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, declared that Portugal joins the G20 Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as a founding member and that it does so “with great commitment and enthusiasm”.
The meetings on Monday and Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro will be chaired by the Brazilian head of state, Lula da Silva, a country that this year assumed leadership of the group of 20 largest economies in the world, which account for around two thirds of the population world, 85% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 75% of international trade.
In addition to representatives from the group’s full member countries, plus the European Union and the African Union, representatives from 55 countries or international organizations are expected, including Portugal – a country invited by Brazil -, which will be represented by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro , Angola and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.
Among the main leaders who will be at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) are the outgoing President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. Both will have parallel agendas, with Biden traveling first to the Amazon capital of Manaus and Xi visiting Brasília for a meeting with Lula da Silva, the day after the end of the summit.
The main absentee will be Russian President Vladimir Putin, represented by his head of diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, as the International Criminal Court has an arrest warrant against Putin for war crimes in the conflict in Ukraine.
Source: www.jornaldenegocios.pt
